How to clear search history on iPhone

Computers save the routes you’re surfing the internet. Every site you go to is tracked, while its records are stored in the browser’s history. It makes downloading sites you’ve been before faster.

However, all this data endangers cybersecurity. If someone has access to your browsing history can lead to identity leaks and blackmailing. Moreover, all that information makes your browser slower over time.

The Howly team has gathered in this article the best practices to clear history on iPhone regardless of the browser you prefer. If you need further assistance or have questions, contact our chat support. They will do their best 24/7 for you to get instant help.

And it’s time to start.

How to delete search history on Safari

Clear selectively, or all records, or information only for a particular period, keep reading. Make these four steps, and you will delete your browser data for chosen websites for all your synced iOS devices.

Chosen sites

If you seek to clear history iPhone selectively, use the following algorithm:

1. Move to the Safari app.
2. Go to Bookmarks at the bottom of the display.
3. Find the History option. It’s marked with the clock icon for easy access.
4. Pick a website.
5. Take it left and press Delete in red.

Here you go. The track of the chosen website is erased.

All records

If you decide to erase search history iPhone totally, the procedure is even shorter. Follow these stages:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Look for the Safari icon and hit that bar.
3. Open the History and Website Data bookmark.
4. Pick the Clear History and Data button to proceed.

That’s it. The deletion is in progress. Once it’s over, the sign will turn gray. It means that now you have nothing to delete. When new logs come, the sign will go back to active, and you’ll be able to clear your search history once again.

History for a certain period

You can delete your search history on iPhone with sites visited within some period. Follow this procedure to perform it:

1. Start up Safari.
2. Open its Bookmarks.
3. Select the Clear option below.
4. Choose the time limits to clear iPhone search history.

The process will begin automatically.

How to delete search history on iPhone or iPad if you’re using Chrome

You can alter the track of websites you've visited or clear the records. Read further to learn how to clear search history iPhone or iPad.

All browsing history

If you want to erase all data for your latest browsing, just follow this:

1. Open Chrome.
2. Open the More bar. It has three dots on it.
3. Select History in the menu.
4. Hit Clear Browsing Data.
5. It contains choices to delete more than just history. Tick the choices you need.
6. Confirm the intention with the Clear Browsing Data command.

The process will start automatically, and the history will be erased.

Individual sites

If you want to clear browsing history iPhone by picking the sites manually, use this algorithm instead.

1. Open Chrome.
2. Open the More bar. It has three dots on it.
3. Select History in the list.
4. Opt for Edit.
5. Pick the websites to delete. Look at the check mark next to them.
6. Confirm Delete.

Voilà. No additional actions are needed. The chosen sites are absent in your search history.

How to delete search history on iPhone if you’re using Firefox

Firefox is famous because of its additional blocking ads tools. Moreover, these tools prevent sites from gathering extra information about you and your internet use. Here’s how you can delete extra information easily.

Individual sites

Erasing history on iPhone is the same easy as previously described. Just follow these stages:

1. Start Firefox.
2. Open the Menu bar marked with three lines.
3. Open Settings.
4. Pick Data Management.
5. Select Website Data.
6. Pick the site you want to delete.
7. Confirm Delete.

Repeat with each site. You need to get rid of any records. If you want to delete the information for a certain period or all at once, keep reading.

Within a period

If you want to delete history on iPhone or iPad for a certain time, follow these scheme:

1. Go to Firefox.
2. Open Your Library.
3. Look for the History tab below.
4. Hit Delete Recent History.
5. Check the period and confirm.

That’s it. The history will be deleted selectively.

All browsing history

Deleting all history is the most reliable option to protect your privacy. Use this when you don’t need to go back and revise the sites. Here’s how to clear history on iPhone at once:

1. Go to Firefox.
2. Move to the Menu button.
3. Then Settings.
4. Look for Data Management.
5. Make sure the option for Browsing History is on.
6. Pick Clear Private Data.
7. Ok.

Congratulations. You’ve succeeded. Remember to repeat this procedure from time to time.

Why is deleting browsing history on iPhone so important?

When all major browsers track the websites you view, these logs must be protected. If you don't want other people to know what websites you've been on, the best option is to delete your information.

Browser history and data can be a reason to scam or blackmail you. Besides, sometimes it’s good to have some sites in private from your family members. When you’re looking for a present for a birthday, for instance. Revealing gift sites will spoil the surprise.

Furthermore, websites track requires an extended cache. The bigger it is, the slower the operating system can go. When you erase outdated data, the device can go faster and enhance user experience a lot.

These are the main reasons to erase the browsing history. Let’s consider what to do if you face some difficulties in the process.

Clearing iPhone search history troubleshooting

If you fail to erase search history on iPhone or iPad, there are many reasons why that is the case. Let’s fix the problem.

Content and privacy restrictions

Mainly, they are used for keeping kids from seeing dangerous material and easily changed by an adult:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Move to Screen Time.
3. Proceed to Restrictions on Content and Privacy.
4. Uncheck the choice.

An alternative way is to turn off Screen Time for a while.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Search Screen Time.
3. Click Turn Screen Time Off.

So easy. However, if it doesn’t help, the problem might be in other settings. Let’s try other ways.

iCloud

iCloud links all your Apple devices to one network. Sometimes syncing via iCloud can go wrong and mess with clearing browsing history on iPhone.

To fix this, stop Safari from sharing over iCloud and then clear the cookies and page data on each of your devices individually. After this, you can turn on Safari sync again.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Find your name.
3. Proceed to iCloud.
4. Close Safari, then tap Keep on My iPhone.
5. Move to Safari's settings.
6. Pick Clear History and Website Data.

Further, we describe another reason for solving the issue.

Safari reading list

It may be one more reason why you can’t delete your browser info. Here’s how to cope with it:

1. Open Safari.
2. Press the book logo near the bottom.
3. Tap the glasses to see your list of things to read.
4. Click Show All.
5. By pressing Edit, you can choose more than one page to delete.

Safari cookie blocking

Cookies are small files that your iPhone or iPad stores from websites. It's possible that you can't delete browsing history on iPhone because of some lingering cookies.

Each computer keeps its own set of cookies. To block all Safari cookies, go to Settings, and Safari.

If you have iPadOS or iOS 11 or later, block all cookies by checking the box. Not to lose access to the websites you like to visit, bookmark them before you eliminate cookies.

On earlier versions, turn on Do Not Track. Select Always Block next to Block Cookies.

Restart your device

If nothing above worked, it's time for a restart. If that doesn't work, reset your settings:

1. Move to Settings, then General, then Reset.
2. Tap Reset All Settings, and type in your password.
3. You won't lose any apps or information, but all of your settings will go back to how they were when you first set them up.

Remember, that factory reset deletes all of your device's information and settings. So you have to make a backup copy of your gadget and write down the IDs and passwords.